AmateurTools releases Plucks, a FREE and open-source plucking synth plugin
Plucks is the latest release from AmateurTools, and one that delivers a welcome dose of nostalgia for old-school Fruity Loops fans. Fruity Loops users might recall Image-Line’s Plucked!, a physical modeling synth that utilizes mathematical formulas to simulate the sound of a real string being plucked. AmateurTools’ take on this Fruity Loops classic is a [...]
View post: AmateurTools releases Plucks, a FREE and open-source plucking synth plugin

Want to play your reverb like an instrument? Temperance Lite, the world’s first “musical reverb” plugin by Eventide gives you ultimate control over every noteEventide Audio has launched Temperance Lite, a groundbreaking plugin that introduces what it calls the world’s first “musical reverb”.
Unlike traditional algorithmic or convolution reverbs, Temperance Lite lets you control reverb resonances using the familiar 12-note chromatic scale. Users can choose which notes bloom or fade within a space, giving them unprecedented tonal control over reverb.

READ MORE: Best reverb plugins 2025: Our favourite free and paid-for reverb plugins

Temperance Lite employs modal reverb technology, a decades-old concept previously impossible to run in real time due to computational demands. Now, using modern processing power, the plugin gives each frequency its own “tuning fork,” from deep 20 Hz rumbles to shimmering 20 kHz highs. Users can adjust the loudness and decay of each note, effectively shaping the musical character of a space.
Key features include the Temper Knob, which emphasises or de-emphasises specific notes, and three world-class spaces:

Bright Room – based on the SP2016 reverb, ideal for vocals, instruments, and drums.
Large Studio – recreated with input from acoustics pioneer Dr. Ralph Kessler.
Synthetic Space – entirely in-house, showing off the creative potential of modal reverb.

The NoteScape Visualiser provides a real-time display of sustained and decaying notes, visually mapping the musicality of the reverb. The plugin also comes with 15 factory presets including 5 Tutorial presets to get you started, along with range sliders to isolate specific frequency bands.
“I’ve been dreaming of a musical reverb for 40 years,” says Eventide engineer Tony Agnello. “In 1985, I met Isaak Vigdorchik, who believed that Cremona violins’ plates were sanded to ring out at the 12 notes of the musical scale. Isaak said, ‘Anthony, the notes are in the wood!’ Years earlier I had developed the SP2016’s reverb algorithms and, with reverb still on my mind, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if the notes were in the room?’ But that would require modeling a room in exquisite detail and the processing power required might never be attainable.”
“Now the processing power is at hand,” Agnello adds. “Eventide’s passionate and brilliant developers have made my dream come true. Now, for the first time, any space, real or imagined, can be crafted with the artist’s musical intent.”
Temperance Lite is free to download from Eventide Audio until December 31, 2025, and is compatible with 64-bit AAX, AU, and VST3 on macOS 10.14+ and Windows 10+, requiring at least an SSE 4.2 processor on Windows.

Learn more at Eventide Audio.
The post Want to play your reverb like an instrument? Temperance Lite, the world’s first “musical reverb” plugin by Eventide gives you ultimate control over every note appeared first on MusicTech.

New York State senator proposes tax on crypto mining energy useThe legislative proposal introduces a tiered tax system for energy used by crypto miners in New York, charged by kilowatt-hour used.

Vicki Peterson & John Cowsill to Release Videos Filmed at The Cutting Room, NYCOn Thursday, Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill announced the release of "three live videos, filmed at The Cutting Room in NYC in May 2025. Out today is the first video, 'A Thousand Times,' followed by 'Come to Me' (Oct 9th) and lastly, 'Is Anybody Here?' (Oct 14th)

"The three songs are live versions of tracks off their critically lauded debut album, Long After The Fire, produced and engineered by Paul Allen," a statement reads. "The album comprises songs written by John's late brothers, Barry and Bill Cowsill. It's a love letter of sorts and a beautiful one at that."

"Vicki Peterson of The Bangles (whose work includes #1 hit 'Walk Like An Egyptian' and several other Top 10 songs, such as 'Eternal Flame,' which is the biggest single by an all-female band in history) teams up with John Cowsill, drummer/vocalist for The Beach Boys for over 23 years and original member of the platinum-selling family band, The Cowsills, to lovingly present their debut Americana album comprised of songs written by John's late brothers, Barry and Bill Cowsill titled, Long After The Fire."

See the first video here:

Photo by Pamela SpringsteenThe post Vicki Peterson & John Cowsill to Release Videos Filmed at The Cutting Room, NYC first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Building A Desk Display For Time And Weather DataJust about every laptop, desktop, and smartphone in your life can tell you the date, time, and current weather predictions. However, sometimes it’s nice to have simple data displayed on a bespoke device. That’s what inspired [Mario] to create ESPTimeCast. 
As you might have guessed by the name, the project is designed around the ESP32 and ESP8266 microcontrollers; either one is up to the task of running the show here. Both come with Wi-Fi connectivity out of the box, which makes it easy for them to hook up to the Internet to query NTP servers for the time and weather data from OpenWeatherMap. The data is then displayed on an LED matrix display, made up of four 8×8 LED modules and driven with the aid of the MAX7219 IC. Configuration is handled over a simple web interface hosted on the device itself. All the parts are wrapped up in a 3D-printed housing that would be very fitting in any home that appreciates the magic of late 60s/early 70s decor.
Hackers love building clocks, weather stations, and other useful information displays. We’ve seen a great many examples over the years. If you’re cooking up your own neat project in this area, don’t hesitate to let us know!

Department of Energy cancels $7.5B of clean energy projects in mostly blue statesThe Trump administration canceled over 300 awards related to clean energy on October 1. The states most affected by the cuts voted for Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Native Instruments Middle EastNI's Discovery Series: Middle East is an evocative virtual instrument library that offers a wide-ranging collection of percussive, melodic, and stringed instruments drawn from the rich musical traditions of Arabic, Turkish, and Persian cultures. As part of Native Instruments' Spotlight Collection, this Kontakt-based library is designed to allow composers and producers to easily infuse their tracks with authentic regional flavors, whether for traditional soundscapes, film scores, or contemporary music. The library features 25 meticulously sampled instruments, including both solo instruments and ensembles. The percussive section is particularly diverse, containing a variety of goblet and frame drums like the darbuka, riq, and tombak, along with small kettle drums and finger cymbals. The melodic section includes iconic instruments such as the oud, kanun (a Turkish zither), ney (a long end-blown flute), and zurna (a medium-sized oboe), each captured in precise detail. A special highlight is the inclusion of a string ensemble from Istanbul, providing a beautiful and authentic bowed string texture. Beyond the raw sound, Discovery Series: Middle East excels in its playability and creative control. For melodic instruments, the interface provides access to a selection of authentic scales and editable phrases, making it simple to create traditional melodies. The percussion instruments come with a variety of customizable patterns and grooves, which can be fine-tuned and even dragged and dropped into your DAW as MIDI files for deeper editing. The seamless integration with Native Instruments' Komplete Kontrol hardware further streamlines the workflow, making this a powerful and intuitive tool for adding unique textures and rhythms to any production. Features: Extensive Instrument Collection: Includes 25 characteristic instruments from Arabic, Turkish, and Persian traditions. Diverse Percussion: Features a wide range of goblet and frame drums (darbuka, riq, tombak, bendir, etc.) and other unique percussion instruments. Authentic Melodic Instruments: Provides access to a selection of iconic instruments like the oud, kanun, ney, zurna, and various saz models. String Ensemble: A dedicated Kontakt instrument featuring a string group of violins, viola, and cello from Istanbul. Phrase and Pattern Sequencer: Comes with a library of customizable melodic phrases and rhythmic patterns that can be easily edited or exported as MIDI files. Authentic Scales: Melodic instruments feature a selection of authentic Middle Eastern scales to ensure true-to-life performances. Ensemble Instruments: Instruments are available individually as well as in stylized ensembles that contain a combination of complementary sounds. User-Friendly Interface: An intuitive interface simplifies sound customization and makes it easy to navigate through the library's various features. NKS-Ready: Full integration with Komplete Kontrol and Maschine hardware for a seamless, hardware-based workflow. https://youtu.be/RaY-Jdhkc_g?si=mRDnQEwr1SZsp5EL Read More

Get Beatsurfing’s Random or 7DeadlySnares FREE with any purchase at Plugin Boutique
Plugin Boutique is a constant source of epic discounts, and the monthly “free with any purchase” promotions are often the icing on the cake. Their latest offer is Beatsurfing’s Random or 7DeadlySnares for free with any purchase at Plugin Boutique. There’s nothing better than planning to buy a plugin or bundle, finding a great price [...]
View post: Get Beatsurfing’s Random or 7DeadlySnares FREE with any purchase at Plugin Boutique

Top European music lawyer dismisses UMG/Downtown data concerns as ‘fantasy or paranoia’One of France's top music industry lawyers has dismissed concerns that UMG might misuse indie label data through its proposed $775m acquisition of Downtown
Source

Splice launches new flagship virtual instrument player, with over 1,200 presets available at launchSplice – a platform perhaps best known for its royalty-free samples and other plugins – has unveiled Splice INSTRUMENT, a new flagship virtual instruments player offering creators “world-class recordings with intuitive creative controls”.
Built in partnership with the team at Spitfire Audio – which Splice acquired in April for a reported $50 million – Splice INSTRUMENT comes loaded at launch with over 1,200 playable instrument presets, with many taking inspiration from the gear collections of world-class musicians.
Such presets include Philip Glass’s beloved baby grand piano recorded in his Manhattan home, drums by Abe Laboriel Jr. (Sir Paul McCartney) captured at the iconic Henson Studios in Los Angeles, and strings, woodwinds, and drums from the BBC Symphony Orchestra recorded at Maida Vale Studios in London.

With an accessible interface and full MIDI playability, Splice says more free and premium presets will be added “regularly, alongside feature updates in the months ahead”.
“Splice INSTRUMENT marks a major milestone for Splice,” says Splice CEO Kakul Srivastava. “For the first time, we’re moving beyond samples into full virtual instruments, bringing creative control and world-class recordings to musicians and producers everywhere in an accessible, playable form. This is just the beginning of what’s possible when we combine Spitfire Audio’s artistry with Splice’s innovation.”
“With Splice INSTRUMENT, we’re building on the foundation of LABS: affordable access to inspiring, expressive sounds with intuitive creative control,” adds Paul Thomson, Co-Founder of Spitfire Audio.
“Sounds from this collection have already appeared on Grammy-nominated albums and in blockbuster films. Whether composing for screen or producing the next big hit, this library captures the beauty of real instruments and the character of the rooms they were recorded in.”
Splice Instrument is usable both as a standalone plugin and as plugin within any major DAW. The software comes in two plans:

Free – available to all Splice users, with hundreds of sampled presets including pianos, orchestral instruments, choirs, synths and more. Each month, new free “drops” will be released, and once downloaded, they’ll remain permanently in a user’s library.
INSTRUMENT ($12.99/month) – Unlocks the full catalog of 1,200+ presets at launch, including flagship sounds such as Ultra Soft Piano, orchestral sessions performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, synths designed with Nathan Fake, and global genre packs like Amapiano.

For more info, head to Splice.
The post Splice launches new flagship virtual instrument player, with over 1,200 presets available at launch appeared first on MusicTech.

Machina Bristronica: Show Round-up The SOS team went along to Machina Bristronica 2025 to see what’s new, and managed to get some overviews and demos from a handful of the event’s exhibitors.

Sweetwater rock out with GuitarFest Hosted at the Sweetwater's campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana, GuitarFest brought together over 70 manufacturers, more than 20 world-class guitarists and numerous industry leaders for a day-long celebration of all things guitar.

W. A. Production Vocal Compressor is FREE for a Limited Time via Gearspace
W. A. Production is offering its Vocal Compressor plugin for free in collaboration with Gearspace for a limited time. This isn’t a new release. Vocal Compressor is a previously paid plugin that usually sells for $39.90, now available at no cost for just a few more days. Its sibling Vocal Limiter was free a while [...]
View post: W. A. Production Vocal Compressor is FREE for a Limited Time via Gearspace

Novation Play packs Sequential, Oberheim and Novation synths into a single plugin for Launchkey MK4 ownersNovation has launched Novation Play, a new plugin for Launchkey MK4 users which packs in over 80 sounds sampled from classic Novation, Sequential and Oberheim synthesizers. 
With one-to-one hardware integration with Novation’s Launchkey encoders, pads and buttons, Novation Play offers an “instrument-like workflow”, and is available for free for existing owners of Launchkey MK4 keyboards.

READ MORE: Could the Novation Launchkey MK 4 become the new heart of your studio?

Made in partnership with Swedish plugin developer Klevgrand, Play is designed with hardware integration in mind. It features pre-mapped controls, hardware-based preset switching and visual feedback via colour-coded drum pads, to help “remove dependency on a mouse and keyboard and to keep users in their creative flow”.

“We’re proud to present Novation Play, our expressive and intuitive new instrument that brings decades of iconic, heritage synth sounds to Launchkey MK4 owners,” says Lola Muresan, Product Owner for Novation Play.
“We took a truly hands-on approach, spending weeks meticulously sampling Novation, Sequential, and Oberheim synths in order to showcase the beauty of each model. We’ve carefully shaped and curated each preset, and we’re looking forward to hearing how artists bring them to life in their own unique ways.” 
Included in Novation Play are 80+ sounds, including “expertly-designed” basses, leads, pads, FX and drum kits, sampled from well-known hardware synths including the Novation Bass Station II, Nova and Peak, as well as Sequential’s Prophet 5 and Prophet Rev 2, and Oberheim’s OB-6.
There’s also a host of FX onboard, including four pad FX buttons: Chorus, Cassette, Spinner and Freeze, as well as a lush reverb, spacey delay and powerful single-knob compressor at the end of the chain.
Novation Play works both as a standalone app and as a VST/VST3/AU/AAX plugin within all major DAWs.
New and existing Launchkey MK4 owners can download Novation Play now from the “My Software” section of their Novation account.
For more information, head to Novation.
The post Novation Play packs Sequential, Oberheim and Novation synths into a single plugin for Launchkey MK4 owners appeared first on MusicTech.

Artists, Voice Your Opinion in White House’s RFI on Future AI RegulationThe White House's new Request For Information allows citizens (and artists) to voice their opinion on AI regulation.
The post Artists, Voice Your Opinion in White House’s RFI on Future AI Regulation appeared first on Hypebot.